Uomo Qualunque Front
Encyclopedia
The Front of the Ordinary Man (in Italian
: Fronte dell'Uomo Qualunque, UQ) was a short-lived populist
libertarian
and poujadist party in Italy. Its leader was the Roman
journalist Guglielmo Giannini, and its symbol was the banner of Giannini's newspaper.
The party was characterized by a very loose structure based only on highly autonomous local committees, the Friends of the Ordinary Man. Its political enemies accused the party to be a hiding place for former fascists
. Although Giannini himself was not a pro-Fascist, the grassroots, anti-hierarchical organization of the party allowed the infiltration of many former fascists into its structure.
Giannini founded his journal in late 1944, after the liberation of Rome by the Allies. By May 1945 it was sold in more than 850 thousands copies, a huge number for that time. The newspaper was directed against the political class in general, which was accused of oppressing the average man. One of the slogans of the journal was Abasso tutti! or "Down with everyone!".
By 1946, many local committees were formed around the journal platform, mostly in central and northern Italy and in Sicily
. Giannini organized these committees in a loose party structure, consciously differentiating itself from the rigid hierarchical system of the mass parties that dominated the Italian politics at the time. The party had a minimal program, but left the strategic decision about party politics to be decided by the local committees themselves.
The party opposed both the professionalization of politics and ideological politics. It demanded a purely administrative type of politics, led by clerks who would be directly accountable to the voters. It demanded a minimal state and opposed state interventionism in social matters. It was characterized by anti-communism
, anti-etatism and populism.
In the 1946 general election
the party took 4.4% and 30 members of the Italian Constituent Assembly but, after that election, the party suffered for its light structure. In 1947 ten MPs left the party founding the National Union group, slowly moving towards the Italian Liberal Party. Later, all the party accepted to join forces with the Liberals in the National Bloc
, and fell into decline.
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Fronte dell'Uomo Qualunque, UQ) was a short-lived populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
and poujadist party in Italy. Its leader was the Roman
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
journalist Guglielmo Giannini, and its symbol was the banner of Giannini's newspaper.
The party was characterized by a very loose structure based only on highly autonomous local committees, the Friends of the Ordinary Man. Its political enemies accused the party to be a hiding place for former fascists
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
. Although Giannini himself was not a pro-Fascist, the grassroots, anti-hierarchical organization of the party allowed the infiltration of many former fascists into its structure.
Giannini founded his journal in late 1944, after the liberation of Rome by the Allies. By May 1945 it was sold in more than 850 thousands copies, a huge number for that time. The newspaper was directed against the political class in general, which was accused of oppressing the average man. One of the slogans of the journal was Abasso tutti! or "Down with everyone!".
By 1946, many local committees were formed around the journal platform, mostly in central and northern Italy and in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Giannini organized these committees in a loose party structure, consciously differentiating itself from the rigid hierarchical system of the mass parties that dominated the Italian politics at the time. The party had a minimal program, but left the strategic decision about party politics to be decided by the local committees themselves.
The party opposed both the professionalization of politics and ideological politics. It demanded a purely administrative type of politics, led by clerks who would be directly accountable to the voters. It demanded a minimal state and opposed state interventionism in social matters. It was characterized by anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
, anti-etatism and populism.
In the 1946 general election
Italian general election, 1946
The Italian general election of 2 June 1946 was the first Italian election after World War II and elected 556 deputies to a Constituent Assembly...
the party took 4.4% and 30 members of the Italian Constituent Assembly but, after that election, the party suffered for its light structure. In 1947 ten MPs left the party founding the National Union group, slowly moving towards the Italian Liberal Party. Later, all the party accepted to join forces with the Liberals in the National Bloc
National Bloc (Italy)
The National Bloc was a rightist political coalition for the 1948 general election formed by:*the Italian Liberal Party;*the Front of the Ordinary Man....
, and fell into decline.